Don't Overlook Baccarat

[Chuck]

Your best odds are always to bet the Banker (odds are still only a little better than a coin flip). Since the odds are so good, the house makes money on the "commission". When you win a Banker bet, you get paid, and then they keep track of a commission by the chips. You can see it...at some point, you have to pay the commission. So if you can find a no commission table, that's an awesome deal.

If you bet the player and win, you win the same payout as the banker bet, but no commission is taken. Don't just think you can sit and play Banker all night though. I've had runs where the player will win 7-8 hands in a row. Other times it goes back and forth, or the Banker will get on a run.

People do bet ties, they pay better...3-1 I think. I've had games where there have been 10+ ties in a shoe. I never bet them, but I'm pretty sure you can bet less than the table minimum on a tie if you're also betting Banker/Player on the same hand. Otherwise, a tie is a push. You can also bet pairs on some tables and a few other "sucker" bets depending on the casino.

[gingerbread]

Unless you go into the Baccarat room, the tables in the casino are actually Mini-Baccarat. These are dealt like Blackjack. They don't pass the deck around like traditional Baccarat. I never play in the Baccarat room.

Ahh, mini-baccarat! IIRC, that moves faster than the full-size usually high-limit version. That's probably bad in the long run (more hands give more opportunities for the house edge to take its toll), but I bet the speed keeps it more interesting.

[ochowie]

Unless you go into the Baccarat room, the tables in the casino are actually Mini-Baccarat. These are dealt like Blackjack. They don't pass the deck around like traditional Baccarat. I never play in the Baccarat room.

Ahh, mini-baccarat! IIRC, that moves faster than the full-size usually high-limit version. That's probably bad in the long run (more hands give more opportunities for the house edge to take its toll), but I bet the speed keeps it more interesting.

Yes it would move faster. But at a commissionless table that wouldn't matter since the odds are even right?

[gingerbread]

Yes it would move faster. But at a commissionless table that wouldn't matter since the odds are even right?

Looking at http://wizardofodds.com/games/baccarat/ for reference.

Assuming an identical game (same rules as 5% commission on dealer bet) I believe there's actually an edge in OUR favor on comissionless. That can't be true, or you could just treat that table like an ATM machine. I bet the commissionless table has slightly different rules that provide a small house edge.

Chuck, can you comment on differing rules on the no commission table vs the others? I bet it was EZ Baccarat, which has a small rule change and from what I can tell works out with to be identical edge for bets on player but a tiny bit less edge on banker bets compared to the 5% commission game.

[Chuck]

The speed of play is totally up to the players. They arent pushy for bets like they are with BJ and other more popular games. You can sit there deciding on your bet for a while. A full mini-bac table moves pretty slow. Theres a lot of jabbering,

[Jhaulotte]

The speed of play is totally up to the players. They arent pushy for bets like they are with BJ and other more popular games. You can sit there deciding on your bet for a while. A full mini-bac table moves pretty slow. Theres a lot of jabbering,

Sounds like I can get a lot of drinks doing this

[Chuck]

The speed of play is totally up to the players. They arent pushy for bets like they are with BJ and other more popular games. You can sit there deciding on your bet for a while. A full mini-bac table moves pretty slow. Theres a lot of jabbering,

Sounds like I can get a lot of drinks doing this

Especially if you find a table full of black chips and young (usually Asian) guys. They all jabber a lot and usually tip waitresses well so the drinks come pretty quickly. Just so ya know...when they're yelling "Monkey" at the dealer they're asking for a face card. They call them monkeys 'cause they look like YOU I've had some fun with this knowledge. The dealer who helped me learn how to play (at Cosmo) told me about this.

Oh...it's perfectly acceptable to sit out hands as well...people do it very regularly as part of strategy or superstition. Just bet with the guys sporting the big stacks, yell monkey when everyone else does, and sit out a hand every once in a while. You'll look like a pro Oh, and don't forget to look at the screen with the outcome history like you're studying it and deciding what to do next (even though you have no idea what it means)

[Jhaulotte]

You had me at Asian. Seriously though I will be doing this next trip. You should be a baccarat spokesperson Chuck.

[Chuck]

Yes it would move faster. But at a commissionless table that wouldn't matter since the odds are even right?

Looking at http://wizardofodds.com/games/baccarat/ for reference.

Assuming an identical game (same rules as 5% commission on dealer bet) I believe there's actually an edge in OUR favor on comissionless. That can't be true, or you could just treat that table like an ATM machine. I bet the commissionless table has slightly different rules that provide a small house edge.

Chuck, can you comment on differing rules on the no commission table vs the others? I bet it was EZ Baccarat, which has a small rule change and from what I can tell works out with to be identical edge for bets on player but a tiny bit less edge on banker bets compared to the 5% commission game.

I came upon the no comission table the first night I ever played. The guy I was with played all the time and was blown away to find a no commission table. There were a few sucker bets, but we didn't play them. I was pretty buzzed that night, but the rules with which they dealt the cards didn't seem different than other tables. That table was like an ATM that night. I sat with $100, played for about 4 hours, usually $50-100 per hand and walked away with $600. I got up to $1000 at one point and started betting like a wild man though.

[Chuck]

You had me at Asian. Seriously though I will be doing this next trip. You should be a baccarat spokesperson Chuck.

It's not all peaches n cream....last trip I sat with $100, and was done after like 7 $25 hands....that's the only time it's been that brutal though. Every other time I've gotten up to at least $400 over a good period of time.

[Jhaulotte]

You had me at Asian. Seriously though I will be doing this next trip. You should be a baccarat spokesperson Chuck.

It's not all peaches n cream....last trip I sat with $100, and was done after like 7 $25 hands....that's the only time it's been that brutal though. Every other time I've gotten up to at least $400 over a good period of time.

I would prefer a 10 dollar min to star but seems impossible to find. I have checked out different sites and they all say South Point or downtown for 10/mins so I can rule out that.

[Chuck]

You had me at Asian. Seriously though I will be doing this next trip. You should be a baccarat spokesperson Chuck.

It's not all peaches n cream....last trip I sat with $100, and was done after like 7 $25 hands....that's the only time it's been that brutal though. Every other time I've gotten up to at least $400 over a good period of time.

I would prefer a 10 dollar min to star but seems impossible to find. I have checked out different sites and they all say South Point or downtown for 10/mins so I can rule out that.

Try finding an empty table (I did last trip at Monte Carlo on Saturday night) and ask the dealer to see if the pit boss will allow a $10 min for an hour so you can learn. They'll probably do it...and you'll be betting $25/hand within a 1/2 hour anyway. I always sit at $15 min BJ tables but usually end up betting $25+ anyway.

[Jhaulotte]

I will. I remember walking past baccarat room at Mirage like 30 times a day and rarely seeing anyone in there except late nights and weekends so I am guessing an open table will not be hard to find. Also, I do the same at BJ tables its just nice to pull back from 25 to 10/hand if you're going through a rough stretch.

[ochowie]

Oh, and don't forget to look at the screen with the outcome history like you're studying it and deciding what to do next (even though you have no idea what it means)

The secret to those numbers is that they don't mean anything.

I will. I remember walking past baccarat room at Mirage like 30 times a day and rarely seeing anyone in there except late nights and weekends so I am guessing an open table will not be hard to find. Also, I do the same at BJ tables its just nice to pull back from 25 to 10/hand if you're going through a rough stretch.

The baccarat room usually has $100 and up minimums. Try finding mini baccarat tables on the casino floor.

[JCase]

This makes me really want to try baccarat the next time I'm out. I always knew the basic gameplay but those minimums scared the living crap out of me.